Self-labeling by EMR High School Students in Their Mainstream and Special Education Classes.

Chassin, Laurie; And Others

Fifty-nine educable mentally retarded (EMR) students and 330 nonhandicapped high school students from mainstream classes completed semantic differential ratings of a stereotypic Popular Teenager, Juvenile Delinquent, and Special Education Student. Ss also rated their global self concepts and situation specific self concepts within the mainstream and the special class settings. Ratings were done at the beginning (Time 1) and the end (Time 2) of a semester. Results showed that mainstream classes did not delabel EMR students. Within the mainstream class, the number of EMR students who saw themselves as similar to a special education student significantly increased over time. Moreover, at Time 2, EMR students were more likely to think of themselves as similar to a special education student in their mainstream class than in their special education class. However, EMR students' global self concepts did not change. (Author/SB)